Citizen scientists are those who volunteer as field assistants in scientific studies. These people are not scientists and are not paid for their work; rather they do it out of passion for the topic of the field they are volunteering in. Citizen scientists are very much found in the field of research and contribute greatly to studies and advances in research. Furthermore, depending on volunteers to perform research is more cost effective and also allows scientists to gather data over a longer period of time. In addition I believe by using citizen scientists it also inspires others to become much more involved in the scientific world and opens the field to others instead of it seeming like a closed off community.

Being a citizen scientist allows a person to gain the experience and knowledge through hands on experience in the field. Citizen scientists are taught how to use the equipment and collect data accurately so they can be studied. Furthermore, according to the article the data collected by citizen scientists are pretty good. Being a citizen scientist is an interactive way for people to learn about a field in science of their interest without having to go through a formal training process. It said that the efforts of the citizen scientists have led researchers to be able to track the progress of conjunctivitis in house finches and follow trends in diseases in animals. Although these people are amateurs they have led to advancement in knowledge in the field of research and I believe that people should be encouraged to take on projects as such and explore their interests. It makes scientific knowledge to all people since the young and the old can become involved and learn from the experiences of participating in the study.